Mercedes GP unlock new contract with Schumacher after 2012 season

Michael Schumacher already under contract with Mercedes GP until the end of 2012 season, and now Mercedes team boss Ross Brawn open for a new deal with seven times world champion Schumacher after next season.

“The contract includes one more season, but obviously should we both have a good year, both the team and Michael, then why not carry on for another year?” Brawn told Autosprint.

“It all depends on 2012: midway through next season we’ll take a collective decision. I’m very calm: we have plans, at the moment, and I really don’t believe he’s thinking of going elsewhere…”

Ross Brawn happy with team second half performance, and he added that, Mercedes aren’t competitive enough to get regularly on the podium or to do even better

“For sure, in the second half of the season, we’ve extracted everything we could extract out of the car,” he added. “The team has done very well, just like the drivers. We don’t yet have a good enough car, but we are improving on this front too. But as a team, I repeat, we can be reasonably satisfied with what we’ve got out of the car. Just to be clear: I’m not saying we’re content with the results thus far. We aren’t competitive enough to get regularly on the podium or to do even better.

“Performance-wise we must improve, but as a team – and I’m talking about everyone’s effort, reliability, and preparation – we are top class. In broad terms, Aldo is engineering and Geoff is technology,” Brawn explained. “That means that Willis deals with aerodynamics, the car’s dynamics, the checks, while Costa deals with the mechanical side, the integrity of the project, the transmission, and so on. Bob Bell is the technical director and he will have to ensure the group of people works well together.

“The point is that top people like Geoff and Aldo can’t be boxed up. They have their areas of responsibility, but it would be silly to confine them in their roles. I’ve never worked like that, neither in Ferrari nor today in Mercedes. They must be able to interact among themselves if they so wish.”

All material and photos are copyrighted material and owned by their respective owners. Use or depiction of images or trademarks throughout this website is for illustrative and editorial purposes only.Images come courtesy of; ferrari.com, mclaren.com, forceindiaf1.com, redbull.com, mercedesgp.com, renaultf1.com, toyota, bmw-sauber, williamsf1, lotus, virgin, Daylife.com, getty Images/LAT and AP Photos.